


Lessons

by whatwasthatharry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-18
Updated: 2015-03-18
Packaged: 2018-03-18 10:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3565547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatwasthatharry/pseuds/whatwasthatharry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry wants to teach Zayn how to swim, but Zayn's a little more scared than originally thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lessons

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to tumblr for a prompt from blainedarling. Enjoy!

“I can’t believe you talked me into this.”

Zayn is standing in front of Harry’s pool, glaring at the water like it personally offended him. They’re on a break from touring, most of the boys relaxing somewhere with their family. Harry and Zayn flew to LA, to Harry’s place, and somehow on that long flight, Zayn let Harry convince him to learn to swim.

And then he let Harry convince him to do it over this break.

And then he let Harry convince him to do it at his house.

And then he let Harry convince him that  _Harry_ should be the one to teach him.

Zayn looks out at the water, taking note of the way it ripples a bit from the wind. For all intents and purposes, it looks calm. Harmless even. But Zayn knows the truth; how it could wrap around him easily and leave him gasping for air and then where would the band be.

Something bounces off his chest and hits the concrete and, as he glances down, Zayn’s eyes narrow further at the sight of orange armbands.

“What is this?” he asks, kicking with his foot and unwilling to pick it up.

Harry’s face comes into view, smile wide and dimples deep as his green eyes twinkle a bit; Zayn’s not sure if it’s from the sunlight or the excitement that seems to be coursing through his boyfriend.

“C’mon, Zayn. They’re arm floaties,” he says matter-of-factly, clearly questioning why Zayn even asked the question. It was a rhetorical question actually, Zayn knows what they are; he more wants to know _why_  they are here. But that’s Harry, always has been – answering every question he’s asked with genuine enthusiasm no matter how pointless it is.

“The same ones from the  _Kiss You_ video, actually,” Harry continues on, bending over to pick them up and shoving them into Zayn’s arms.

“You kept my arm floaties…from our music video?” he asks. He managed to grab the bands as they are shoved against his chest, fingers brushing over Harry’s as he takes them.

Harry has the decency to look embarrassed, body flushing a delicate pink, but it’s gone just as soon as it came.

“You looked cute in them, okay?” Harry mutters, biting his lip and tucking one ankle around the other. Zayn takes a second to think that he shouldn’t do that, Harry already has enough problems balancing without standing weird, but he’s still focused on the fact that Harry kept this.

“Haz…” he mumbles, and now he’s the one blushing a little. “We weren’t even dating then.”

Harry hits him lightly on the arm and cocks an eyebrow. “And whose fault is that?”

Zayn rolls his eyes and pokes one of Harry’s dimples, a habit he’s had ever since the boy first smiled in front of him. “We figured it out.”

Harry simply hums, staring at him for a moment before clapping his hands together and rocking back and forth on the soles of his feet.  _That’s my Harry,_ Zayn thinks, hardly ever still for more than a moment.

“Okay, stop distracting me,” Harry chastises, giving him a glare that ends up looking for like a frustrated puppy then anything actually harsh. “It’s time to teach you how to swim.”

And just like that, Zayn’s smile drops and he takes a step back, the armbands slipping out of his hands and back to the concrete as he crosses his arms. He’s shaking his head and muttering no over and over again before he even realizes what he’s doing.

There are hands on his shoulder, Zayn’s distantly aware of that. Fingers are trailing over his skin and then they’re kneading at the tense muscles of his neck. And this is stupid, something else Zayn is distantly aware of. He shouldn’t be so scared of the water, and he knows Harry is there and won’t let anything happen, but Zayn can’t  _swim._ And it’s not like he’s never been in water, or near it, or done something stupid by it. He still remembers the way Harry scolded him for risking falling into the water that time he leaned over to help him out of the boat. (Harry’s face had been tense, but even back then, Zayn could see the gratitude and slight blush Harry got every time Zayn did something for him). But this is different, because now he is actually going to learn. And he’s going to fail or flail and embarrass himself spectacularly in front of his boyfriend.

“Zayn, babe,” Harry is whispering against his ear.

Zayn shakes his head a little, trying to dispel all those thoughts and focus on his boyfriend. He opens his eyes, unsure of when he closed them, and looks at Harry. He’s biting his lip, but it’s not playful like normal and Zayn frowns. He brings a hand up and thumbs at the frown line on Harry’s forehead, soothing over the crease until it’s gone. But Harry’s green eyes still look a little duller, the light in the faded with worry.

“We don’t have to do this,” he mumbled, arms moving to wrap around Zayn’s waist as he pulls their bodies together so their chests are touching. “I just thought it’d be fun, and good for you. But if you really don’t want to, we won’t, okay?”

Harry’s still again, and Zayn feels off. Even when Harry’s in his arms, he’s buzzing with energy – a restlessness that can’t be tempered usually. Zayn doesn’t like that  _he’s_ the reason Harry is subdued.

“Haz, it’s okay. Just a little scared,” Zayn breathes, leaning forward to give him a soft peck on the lips. “I want to do this.”

Harry starts to smile a little, but he quickly narrows his eyes again, this time searching Zayn’s for…something.

“Are you sure?”

Zayn leans forward and kisses Harry again, this time for longer. He molds his lips against Harry’s, tongue tracing along his bottom lip before he sucks it into his mouth for a brief moment. He smiles as he pulls away and Harry looks a little flushed, breathing just a tad bit on the side of irregular.

“I’m sure, babe.”

Harry smiles again, wide and happy and his dimples are deeper then they’ve been all day. Zayn will do anything to keep that look on his face for always. The last time Harry was sad, truly sad, Zayn’s heart practically broke in two and he ached until Harry was happy again.

Harry wiggles out of his arms and skips over to the pool, climbing down the steps until his waist deep and holding a hand out for Zayn.

“I’m waiting,” he hums playfully when Zayn still hasn’t moved a minute later.

Zayn scratches at the back of his neck and takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second. He’s not scared of being in the water when he can stand, he does that all the time. But Harry is going to take him into the deep end and he’s going to have to float or tread water or something and how is he supposed to do that? Is Harry going to keep his arms around him or is he going to –

“If you don’t get in the water now, I’m not going to let you tie me up and fuck me tonight,” Harry calls out from the water, a smirk on his face and twinkle in his eyes.

Zayn’s eyes shoot open, and he can’t remember a time he ever got in the water faster.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know your thoughts! You can find me on [tumblr](http://www.whatwasthatbob.tumblr.com) if you want.


End file.
